A Different Life, The Same Love
by snapple79
Summary: AU where Sam and Andy aren't cops. Andy bumps into Sam while he works at Alvarez Auto Body and they can't stop thinking about each other. How does their relationship evolve when they live different lives?
1. Chapter 1

**A Different Life, The Same Love**

This multi-chapter story is partly due to a prompt I got about wanting to see an AU story with Sam and Andy, and because I've really wanted to explore more about how Sam knew J.T., a character we saw pop up in 3x02. For the purpose of this story neither Sam nor Andy are cops, and Tommy McNally is still working as a detective at 15 Division. Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review and let me know what you think! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Andy slammed her hands on the steering wheel and cursed. She was sick of this car. She'd bought it used eight months ago, determined to be independent and not beg rides off friends or try to count on her unreliable father. But the car had been more trouble than it had been worth and she was pretty sure she'd put as much money into constantly getting it fixed as she had to purchase it.

She turned the key in the ignition, praying it would start up again, but it simply sputtered. She looked around and realized in her attempt to take a shortcut she'd been driving through a less than ideal section of the city. Probably not the best place to be stranded alone. She remembered passing a garage a couple blocks back and figured going there beat waiting around, for a tow truck to come. She got out of the car and headed toward the garage, quickening her steps even though it was the middle of the afternoon.

Approaching the parking lot of the business, Alvarez Auto Body, she could see a bustle of activity inside the building, but two men were working under the hood of an old sports car out front. As she walked toward them, she couldn't help but think how attractive they both were. She was used to the mechanics at the garage she usually went to - these old straggly men who looked like they were in desperate need of a shower. But these two men were definitely different; wearing jeans that showed off their assets _very_ well as they leaned over the car, and short sleeved shirts tight enough for her to clearly see the definition of their muscles. The one could use a clean shave, she thought, but the stubble was actually pretty hot.

She was only a couple feet away from them when they turned around. "Can we help you?" one of them asked. She found amazingly dark brown eyes complimented the unshaved look.

"Um, yeah, I hope. Look, my car broke down, down the road and it's like the third time in as many weeks, but this time it won't start up again. I saw this place and thought you might be able to take a look at it." She twisted her hands nervously as they both stared at her.

The guy with the eyes she wanted to get lost in glanced over at his friend, who looked less than pleased. Unfortunately, the friend was one who spoke. "Sorry, miss, we're really busy today."

"C'mon, J.T. We can at least look at it," the guy with the beautiful eyes said.

"Sammy, we got that shipment."

"Which the guys have under control," Sam said, looking over at Andy. The moment he'd turned around, he'd been in awe of her beauty. Her chestnut brown hair hanging like silk around her shoulders, the color of her eyes matching her hair and complimenting her tanned skin, these legs that seemed to go on forever. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, but when he finally looked back at J.T, his friend gave a shrug of his shoulders, telling him to do whatever he wanted.

"I'll come take a look at it," Sam told Andy. He wiped his hand on a rag and held it out to her. "Sam Swarek, and you are?"

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate this," she replied, shaking his hand. "It's Andy...Andy McNally."

"McNally?" J.T. shot a look of warning at Sam and shook his head. "This is all you, Sammy. All you, if Bobby asks."

They were both familiar with a Detective Tommy McNally, who had tried on numerous occasions to shut down their operations - both legal and illegal. They could only assume she was related and not some random person with the same name.

Andy's eyes bounced between the two men, wondering who Bobby was, but didn't think she was going to get an answer to that as they appeared to have a silent debate. Assuming it might be their boss, she didn't want to get them in trouble. "Look, if this'll cause any trouble for you - "

"No, no, it's fine," Sam said, looking at her again. "Why don't you show me where your car is." He tossed the rag he'd been holding at J.T. before following Andy.

Sam had Andy try and start the car while he looked under the hood to see what was going on. He could hear it fighting to start, but it wouldn't turn over, so he waved a hand indicating she could stop. He fidgeted with a couple things as Andy got out and stood next to him.

He wiped his hand against his jeans as he stared at the engine. "Well, it's not the battery, which would've been the easy fix, but it seems that..." His words sounded like another language to Andy after that point.

She simply nodded her head as if she understood what he was talking about. "Is there anything you can do?"

It was her doe eyes that were doing him in. He was finding it hard to say no, even though he knew he should call her a tow truck and a cab right now. Wash his hands of her here and now in case she really was the daughter of _that_ McNally. But somehow, she'd gotten under his skin and he couldn't shake her. "We don't stock the part you need, so it'll take us a few days to get it, but I can call a friend of mine who owns a tow company. He'll bring your car to the garage no charge," he told her.

"That would...that would be really great," she said, with a sigh of relief.

Sam called his friend while they walked back to the garage. Once they got back, he ushered her into his office so he could fill out some paperwork. She signed a couple of forms and thanked him profusely for giving her such a good price on the repair.

"Well, you're all set for now. I'll call you when the part comes in," he said.

"Thanks again." She looked down at her phone and realized her battery was dead. Just great. "Hey, can I use the phone to call a cab? My cell died," she said, waving her phone around like he'd need proof.

Sam started to pull his cell phone out of his pocket, but stopped and glanced at his watch. This was wrong, beyond wrong. J.T. was going to kill him for getting even more involved. But there was something drawing him to her. "Look, if you can wait about 10 minutes, I can drive you home."

Andy worried her bottom lip as a debate waged within her. She'd only _just _met this guy. He could be a serial killer for all she knew, and of course she knew better than to put so much trust into a stranger. But he'd been so nice and seemed innocent enough. Plus, he was smokin' hot and no serial killer would look that good, she reasoned with herself.

"Okay, um, thanks," she said, nodding her head.

About 15 minutes later they were on the way to her apartment and making small talk. "So, what do you do?" Sam asked, curious how this woman landed on his doorstep today.

"I'm a social worker, down at the East End Community Center," she replied.

"Ah, so that's what brought you near the garage." Sam was relieved. There was a small part of him that thought she might have followed in her father's footsteps and become a cop, which would've been disastrous for him.

"Yup, I'd just left work and was trying a shortcut I heard about it."

"Do you like it, your work?"

"It's rewarding, getting to help people. I love the center, but I'm trying to go back to school to get my master's degree and move up in the world," she said, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Trying to?"

Andy sighed and looked out the window. "Can't afford it right now. I have some money saved up, but still a ways to go."

Sam heard the sadness in her voice and decided to put an end to the questions. While he hadn't grown up rich, his makeshift family would have helped him further his education if he'd wanted to. But community college had been sufficient for what he wanted to do with his life.

After a few minutes of silence, Andy spoke up. "How about you? Always worked at Alvarez Auto Body?"

"Pretty much my whole life. I love working on cars. Take that old sports car you saw us working on. J.T. and I have been rebuilding that car piece by piece to bring it back to its original glory," he told her.

"Wow, that's amazing." She saw the glow in his eyes as he spoke and she could tell it was something he really enjoyed. She figured working on a special car like that was its own art form. Glancing out the window, Andy realized they were almost at her apartment. "It's up here on the right, the brick building," she said pointing. Sam pulled his truck up to the curb. "Uh, thanks for the ride, Sam."

"No problem. It's gonna take a few days to get the part we need for your car, but I'll call you when it's ready," he said, watching her get out of his truck.

"Sounds good." She was about to shut the door, but stopped. "Hey, um, you wanna come in for a drink?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

He followed her into the building and up to her apartment, shutting the door behind him as they entered. He took a look around the studio apartment as she headed into the small kitchen. "Nice place," he commented.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a couple beers and walking over to the couch, where Sam had taken a seat.

"It's nice for now." She passed a beer over to him and took a swig of her own. "But I've been eyeing these new condos going up on Carlisle. I'd love to get into one of those when they're finished."

"Oh, the old toilet factory?" he asked before taking a swig of his beer.

She let out a chuckle, her friends already teased her about that fact. "Yes, but it's a perfectly nice building."

"You got any problems, just take the back off and rattle the chain," he teased, dimples on full display as he grinned over at her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Hey, you hungry? I have this ridiculous craving for pizza."

"Sure, yeah, I could eat," he said.

She grabbed the phone from the table next to the couch. "Okay, good. Anything you don't like on your pizza?" she asked, hitting a number in the speed dial.

"Uh, pineapple, that's about it."

"Ewww," she said scrunching up her nose. "No arguments there. Who wants fruit on their pizza?"

He chuckled and listened to her place an order for an everything pizza, warning them "not to go skimpy on the toppings."

More than an hour later, they were stuffing their faces with pizza and beer, the buzz from the alcohol leading them into an energetic debate about their poker skills.

"No way! I'd totally be taking all _your_ money, not the other way around," she claimed, tossing the rest of the pizza she held onto the paper plate on her coffee table, sending crumbs flying.

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we," he said, smirking.

"Invite me to one of your precious poker nights and I'll show you what I can do," she replied, cockily.

"Next one's at my place. Consider this your invite," he said, without even thinking about what he was doing. J.T. was going to kill him when he found out he was bringing a cop's daughter to the next poker night. Crap, he was gonna have to find a way to keep her last name out of the conversation.

Sam glanced at his watch and, realizing how late it had gotten, decided it was time for him to leave. "Well, I, uh, should get going," he said standing up.

She grabbed her cell phone, which she'd been charging since they arrived, off the table to look at the time before pocketing it. "Yeah, yeah, of course," she replied, walking him to the door. "Thanks for fixing my car."

"Thanks for the pizza," he said turning around to face her.

He leaned in slowly, seeking her permission, and when she didn't slap him or back away, he closed the distance and brought his lips to hers. He rested his hands on her hips, his thumbs brushing against the small strip of bare skin between her shirt and her jeans. Her hands found their way to his shoulders before sliding up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He backed her up against the door, pressing himself into her. She moaned into his mouth as his hands traveled up her sides and grazed her breasts.

"This isn't...I don't normally..." she mumbled into his skin.

"Me neither." He continued the assault on her neck.

"Maybe...we should..."

"Mmhmm, totally." But neither made any move to stop their hands or mouths.

She fisted his shirt in her hands and pushed them away from the wall before pulling him toward her bed until the backs of her legs hit the mattress. Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and their lips broke apart only long enough for her to pull the shirt over his head. He quickly removed her shirt and as one hand slid up and down the skin of her back, a shrill ringing startled them. They stared at each other for a moment until they realized it was Andy's phone. His hand moved down her back and into her pocket, pulling it out.

Breathing heavily, she took the phone from his hand and looked at him with apologetic eyes. "Hello?" She scrunched her nose up, wishing she'd looked at the caller ID before answering. "Hi dad."

Sam took several steps back and picked his shirt up off the floor where it had landed when Andy tossed it. He pulled it on as she continued her conversation.

"Yeah, I know...I told you I'd help...Okay, I'll see you then." She had no sooner hung up the call than felt her shirt being tossed at her. She looked over at Sam, his lips pressed together and staring at her. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine. I should..." He glanced over at the door and back to her. "I should go."

"Yeah, okay." She put her shirt on as she walked him to the door.

"I'll call you about your car."

* * *

Two days later, Andy ushered a client out of her office, hoping her talk had done some good for the young mother who was having trouble adjusting to life as a new and single parent. She was sitting back down at her desk when her cell phone rang. She couldn't stop the grin from breaking out on her face when she saw who it was. "Hi Sam."

"Hi, Andy, I, uh...How are you?"

"Good, just taking a break between meetings with clients. You?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm good. Well, I don't want to keep you from your work – "

"You're not," she replied quickly, embarrassed when she realized she'd interrupted him in her excitement.

Sam couldn't help the grin that exploded on his face at how eager she sounded to talk to him. "I, uh, wanted to let you know the part for your car came in. I should be able to work on it today."

"Oh, that's great. Thanks for the update."

"Yeah, and uh, I was wondering...There's this amazing pub, has the best burgers in Toronto. Do you want to check it out sometime?" he asked, nervously.

"I'd like that."

"Okay, great. Friday night?"

"Sounds great," she replied, pretty sure he could hear her grin through the phone.

"Great, Friday night. I'll talk to you later, then."

They said their goodbyes and Sam sat back in his chair. What about this girl made him more nervous than he'd ever been? He just couldn't get her off his mind…and didn't want to.

* * *

Friday came quickly and Andy got dressed for her date. She was extremely nervous, having to stop her shaking hands at one point. She kept telling herself to get a grip, that this was just another first date. But that's the thing, it wasn't. There was something about Sam that made a simple date not so simple. She instantly felt a connection with him, like they were magnets drawn to each other. And they talked and laughed so easily when they shared a pizza the day they met.

She tried on three different outfits before settling on her sexy jeans and silky purple one-shoulder blouse. She was looking in the mirror for the hundredth time and tucking some stray hairs into place when there was a knock at the door. When she opened it, she took in the sight in front of her. Behind a small bouquet of tulips was Sam, wearing a blue button-down shirt under a leather jacket, and jeans, which she decided she'd never get tired of seeing him in.

"Hi," she said, as their eyes steadily took in every inch of each other.

"These are for you," Sam said, holding the flowers out to her.

"They're beautiful. Thank you." She backed up to invite him in before heading to the kitchen for a vase.

"You are too," he said, his smile meeting hers as she glanced back at him and blushed. He saw her jacket lying on the couch, so he picked it up and helped her into it when she walked back over. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

Sam placed his hand at the small of her back as they walked out to his truck, and he could feel the heat of her body through the layers of clothing. It stirred something inside him, a mixture of excitement and nerves. He wasn't used to the nerves. He'd had his share of women, but none had ever caused the fire inside him like Andy did the moment she locked eyes with him. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

As they headed to the restaurant, they made small talk that succeeded in calming them both down. By the time they sat down at a corner booth Sam had reserved, they were laughing and teasing each other like they'd been lifelong friends.

"So, the car's working okay for you?" Sam asked while they waited for their waitress. He'd been running an errand for his boss when she'd come to pick it up two days earlier. He hated that he missed her, but she'd called him later, thanking him for everything he'd done. They may have talked for half an hour, just wanting to hear the other's voice.

"It's great. Runs better than it ever has. Guess you have the magic touch," she said, a twinkle in her eye.

"I, uh, may have given it the once over, tweaked a few things, while I was replacing the part. You know, just to make sure there wasn't anything else wrong with it," he admitted.

She swore she saw a light blush wash over his face, but it was quickly gone. "That was sweet. Thank you."

Once they placed their orders, Andy took a look around the bar. She glanced at the memorabilia and old photos hung on the wall when one item caught her eye. "Oh look, Karaoke Wednesday's," she commented, reading a chalkboard with the announcement. "Tell me, what would you sing?"

"'Stuck in the Middle with You,'" he deadpanned.

"'Stuck in the Middle with You,' that's nice," she said, smirking.

"No, no. Love, uh, 'Love the One Your With,'" he teased. He loved the look in her eye when he teased her. It was like her eyes were laughing back at him. And he couldn't get enough of it.

"No, this, definitely this," she said, grinning and pointing to the ceiling where the speakers were now playing 'I'm too Sexy.'

He chuckled and shook his head at her. "I'm kidding. I wouldn't sing," he said, taking a swig of beer.

"I know you wouldn't. You're too cool," she replied, smiling.

"Hey, I do a lot of things, alright. I cook, I clean. I'm good with tools. I'm an excellent driver. But karaoke? Nope, not ever. Why, you wanna be on the next 'Canada's Got Talent?'"

Andy rolled her eyes as she sipped her beer. "Nooo. But, if I've had enough to drink, I can be easily swayed to get up and sing horribly along with a karaoke machine," she said, laughing.

"I'll have to keep that in mind," he replied, dimples staring back at her like another set of eyes.

They continued talking as their waitress brought out their food and long after she'd come back to take away their empty plates. Andy's cheeks hurt from laughing so hard and smiling so much. She couldn't remember when she'd had such a good time. "I've had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you," she told him.

"I'm glad you've had a good time. I have too," he said, smiling. Sam had noticed the waitress eyeing their table on and off for the last hour and realized how long they'd been sitting there after finishing their meals. "So, um, you ready to get out of here?" he asked.

"Sure," Andy replied, glancing down at her watch. "Oh my god, we've been here five hours." She looked up at Sam to see his worried expression at her sudden realization. "I mean, it just didn't feel like that long. The waitress must want to kill us." When she smiled, his insecurities washed away.

Helping her on with her jacket, his knuckles brushed along her bare shoulder and a sudden warmth traveled through his fingers, up his arm and straight to his heart. When her head quickly turned toward him, the look in her eyes told him she felt it too. As they left the restaurant, his hand casually found hers and their fingers linked together.

The drive back to her apartment was quick and he walked her up to her door, releasing her hand only when she needed it to unlock her door. "C'mon in," she said, walking in and toeing her shoes off near the door. Sam followed, shutting the door behind him.

"Do you want – " She was cut off when Sam gently grabbed her arm and tugged her toward him until he could do what he'd wanted to do all night. He crushed his lips to hers and she eagerly responded. When his fingers released her arm, her hands flew up to cup the back of his neck, while his circled around her back and pulled her even closer until their chests bumped each other.

His hands skimmed under her jacket and blouse so he could feel her skin under his fingertips. The brush against her shoulder earlier just wasn't enough for him. He wanted more. But he also wanted to go slow with her. Treat her right, woo her, make sure she knew this was something special, that _she_ was something special.

So, when the need for air became too great, he forced himself to be a gentleman. He brushed his nose against hers before pulling back, putting almost an arm's length between them. Andy was confused and furrowed her eyebrows as she breathed heavily and stared at him.

"I…you…I didn't take you out just to get you into bed," he said cautiously, afraid she'd misunderstand his actions. "So, I'm going to be a gentleman and bid you goodnight."

Andy tried to form a response, but was having trouble, trying to decide if he was being noble or just driving her crazy. "You don't have to leave," she managed to force out in a whisper.

He pressed his lips to hers briefly. "Yes. I do. On one condition though. You agree to let me take you out again."

She slid her palms down his chest, her lips curving up in a smile when she felt his heartbeat racing just as much as hers. She kind of hated that he was trying to be such a gentleman, but she kind of adored it as well. "How can I say no to that?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"Ok then. I'll call you," he said, backing up toward the door. After opening it, he glanced back at her. "Sweet dreams Andy."

"Goodnight Sam."

When the door was closed, Andy walked over and locked it before shrugging out of her jacket. She then headed to her bathroom and stripped out of her clothes before turning on the cold water in the shower. She got in and let the ice cold water pound down on her skin. This was ridiculous she thought, as her fingers brushed away the hair matted to her face. She'd just met this man, how could he invoke all these feelings in her? Her _entire _body had gone warm from the simple touch of his hand. And then when she was ready to tear his clothes off and take him to bed - god, she really should be ashamed about wanting to do that _twice _in the short time she'd known him - he had to be the gentleman and bid her goodbye.

She shut the shower off with more force than was necessary, as the cold water had done nothing to deter her thoughts. As she dried off, she just hoped he was feeling as tortured as she was right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, thank you for all the reviews and favorites and alerts! I'm truly amazed, and the reviews had me grinning like a cheshire cat. I hope you all enjoy this chapter where we learn more about Sam's past with J.T. and Bobby. Please continue to let me know what you think with a review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

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**Chapter 2**

Andy had a girl's night scheduled with her closest friend Traci. Their only plans were to eat, drink lots of wine and maybe watch a chick flick.

Traci sat on Andy's couch and opened a bottle of wine she brought as Andy retrieved glasses from the kitchen. "How's work?" Andy asked, joining her friend on the couch. She knew Traci sometimes needed to vent about her work with Child and Youth Services because it wasn't something she could talk a lot about at home in front of her own son.

"Heartbreaking case earlier this week," she replied, pouring wine into their glasses. "A single mom overdosed, leaving three children under the age of six. No family to speak of. The father's long gone. I spent the week trying to fight to have them stay together, but I think I'm losing."

"I'm sorry Trace. I know some of these cases really get to you," Andy said, squeezing her friend's shoulder in comfort.

"Yeah. It's just...I had to fight so hard to prove to people I could be a good mom even though I was so young. And then there are people who are given multiple chances at being a good parent and they fail."

Traci slumped back into the couch and they were both silent for a moment. "Ugh, I don't want to be all down and depressing tonight. Tell me something fun."

"I want to get a dog. I mean, I can't have one in this apartment, but I really want a dog. Something cute and fuzzy," Andy said, a big toothy grin on her face.

"You thinking of moving?"

"Yes. No. I can't afford it right now. Which means I can't get a dog," she said pouting. "But I still want one."

A while later, as the smell of food wafted through the apartment, Andy decided to check on their dinner that was cooking in the oven. She nearly skipped back from the kitchen, earning a curious look from her friend. She picked up the half empty bottle of wine and filled her and Traci's glasses again before plopping down on the floor in front of the couch.

"What's with you? The bounce in your step, the twinkle in your eye. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were in love," Traci teased. She slid off the couch to join her friend on her floor.

"Well..." Andy peered over her wine glass at her friend before taking a large sip.

"Andy!"

"I started seeing this guy."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"It's brand new. And I'm telling you now."

"Okay, so spill!"

"He's so sexy." She stared dreamingly into the air. "Sam has these eyes that just...I get lost in them." She looked over at her friend as she sipped her wine. "And he's amazingly nice. He has this rough bad boy exterior, but he was so sweet with me." She let out a small sigh as she thought about him. "Brought me tulips, took me to this awesome Irish pub. It wasn't some fancy place guys usually take us to try to impress us, but we hate - okay, _I _hate. It was perfect."

"He sounds fantastic! Where'd you meet him?" Traci asked.

"You know how I told you my car broke down again?" She rolled her eyes because Traci knew what a crappy car she had. "Well, he works at the garage. He's the one who fixed it for almost nothing."

"Have you...?" Traci waggled her eyebrows.

"Ugh, no." Andy flopped onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. "Despite throwing myself all over him the first night we met, we were interrupted by my dad, of all people, calling just as we were about to. And we made out for a few minutes after our date, but then he left. Seriously, Trace..." She sat back up and grabbed her glass off the table. "I don't get it. I was most definitely a 'sure thing' that night, but _nothing_ happened."

Traci giggled at the exasperated look on her friend's face. "You know he was being a gentleman, right? It was your _first_ date."

"I know. I know. He should get a medal for that or something," she said sarcastically. "You know me, Trace. I don't normally do that, but he...god, he electrifies something inside me. It's ridiculous, I know."

"He could just be horrible in bed, and you know, keeping you from that pain as long as possible," Traci teased.

Andy snorted and started giggling. "Yeah, I don't think that's a problem for him. I think he's heavenly."

Traci shook her head at her friend and they heard the oven timer go off. "Oooh, food!" Andy squealed, jumping up from the floor. "Probably should've waited for this before we started on the wine," she said, giggling as she looked at the near empty bottle on the coffee table.

"But then I wouldn't've heard about how _heavenly_ Sam is gonna be," Traci teased.

"Shut up," Andy replied playfully, whipping her friend's butt with a dish towel.

* * *

Late the next morning when Andy finally rolled out of bed, she made her way to her dad's apartment to help him paint his living room. They'd been at it for hours, and were nearly done, when Tommy offered to take his daughter out for dinner when they'd finished.

"Sorry, dad, I can't. I have plans. A date," she said, a huge grin appearing on her face.

"Callaghan?" he asked hopefully.

Andy rolled her eyes. Her dad had been trying for months to set her up with one of the young officers he worked with. But Luke Callaghan just wasn't the guy for her. She wasn't attracted to him and he always seemed too concerned with work to care about a personal life. He'd shown some interest, but she kept trying to push him away. "No, dad. This guy I met who helped me with my car. He's really sweet."

"What's his name?" he asked.

She knew that was her dad's way of getting the info he needed to run a background check. She was used to it after all these years. "Sam Swarek, he works at - "

"Alvarez Auto Body. You can't see him, Andy." Her father cut her off and she turned around in shock.

"What do you mean? You haven't even met him."

"Yes, I have. I've been trying to take Alvarez and his crew down for years, Swarek included. Half the stolen goods coming through the east side go through there. You have to stay far away from him. He's no good for you, Andy." Tommy was dead serious as he stared at his daughter and hoped she took his warning to heart.

She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. She was a little shocked. She hadn't gotten any bad vibes from the garage or from Sam, and she'd always been a good judge about these things. However, as protective as her dad was, he'd never lie about something like this or make up some story, even if he'd been trying to steer her toward Luke for months now.

She turned back toward the wall to continue painting and made a decision. She had to learn Sam's story herself because she believed there was another side to him, more than what the police thought they knew. "I'm seeing him again, dad."

"Andy..."

"Look, you may think you know who he is, but it goes against everything I've come to know about him since I met him. I believe that if you look hard enough, you can find good in everyone, and with Sam, I didn't even need to look very far." She could feel her father's eyes on her, but she refused to turn around, knowing she couldn't if she wanted to get this out. "I need to...I'm not going to write him off that easily."

Tommy knew his daughter and the tone in her voice told him that was the end of the discussion. So, instead of trying to talk her out the relationship, he'd just have to make sure Sam wasn't around to be part of her life. He and his fellow detectives were closing in on Alvarez's operation and he was going to have to make sure they tied up all the pieces sooner rather than later.

* * *

Sam and Andy decided to spend a quiet night at his townhouse, watching a movie they rented. He was sitting on his couch, Andy's head in his lap while his fingers danced lightly on her upper arm. As the credits began to roll, Andy rolled over so she was on her back and could look up at Sam.

"Um, can I talk to you about something?" she asked, hesitantly.

Those words made Sam nervous, but he tried not to let on, instead taking one of Andy's hands in his and letting his thumb rub back and forth gently. "What's up?"

"I was talking to my dad today. He's a detective with the Toronto Police," she started, trying to gauge his reaction.

Sam tensed up knowing where this was going. "I'm pretty familiar with Detective McNally. And I had a pretty good guess he was your dad." He knew the moment he got involved with her it wouldn't work for this very reason, but hadn't been able to help himself. Even when J.T. yelled at him about hooking up with a cop's daughter, he'd ignored the warnings.

"He...well, he told me some things. And I guess I wanted to hear your side." She didn't know what was going to happen when he told her, but she needed to hear what he had to say.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Is it...is what he said true?" She figured he'd have an idea what her dad would have said.

"Look, Andy, what he told you is probably mostly true. I mean, there is a legit side to the business, but there's a lot of extra…work we do. I understand if this is a deal breaker for you. I never should've...the moment I heard your name, I should have sent you out the door." He looked across the room, refusing to look down at her, afraid of her reaction.

Andy sat up and tuned to face Sam. "Is that what you really want?" Silence filled the air as she waited for his response and while he said nothing, his eyes told a different story. His eyes told her that was the last thing he wanted. "How'd you get involved with them? Alvarez, J.T."

He rubbed his palm up and down his jeans trying to figure out where to start. "I told you about Sarah's attack, but nothing about our parents." He spent the next several minutes recounting his childhood. How his dad had gone to jail for laundering money and left his mom to raise two children on her own. How his mother had a mental breakdown shortly after Sarah's attack; thought she had no business being a mother when she couldn't keep her children safe. He cast his eyes down, as if protecting Andy from seeing the sadness the memories brought up.

Andy remained silent as Sam spoke, her hand caressing his shoulder gently in comfort.

"J.T. and I, we met in foster care, shared the same parents for a while. He always watched out for me...when I was too focused on protecting my sister," he continued. "When I was 16, I needed a way to make more money than I was bagging groceries to help pay for therapy for Sarah. J.T. talked Bobby into giving me a job. Wasn't much at first, but they trusted me. They treated me well. And I soon felt like I owed them, so I never questioned what I saw, what went on, or what I'm asked to do."

"And what is it you're asked to do?" she asked tentatively.

"Andy…"

"I don't need to know everything, but…something?"

Sam sighed, resting his hand gently on her waist before he continued. "I supervise shipments. We buy and sell items and I'm there to make sure it goes smoothly. Make sure we aren't getting scammed," he explained, oversimplifying what he did.

"You said you felt like you owed them. What about now?"

"Now? They're family."

Andy laid back down, her head resting on his thigh. She tugged on his hand, pulling it close so she could link their fingers. "Okay."

"Okay?" He was dumbfounded that she hadn't gone running out the door.

"Yup. I mean, I don't condone it. But, I get it. I get standing by family."

"You're not gonna tell your dad I just...well, whatever I just admitted?"

"No. I didn't ask you about everything so I could report back to him. I needed to know before...before we continued this," she said, waving her free hand between them. "I don't like secrets."

He used the hand that wasn't linked with hers to brush her bangs out of her eyes, so he could stare into them clearly. His hand lingered, knuckles brushing gently along her cheek. "No secrets," he whispered.

She sat up and quickly swung her body around so she could rest her legs on Sam's thighs. She then rested a hand against his cheek and smiled. His eyes searched hers for the permission he was seeking before gently bringing his lips to hers. She let her fingers get lost in his hair as she felt his hand caress up her back. She leaned into him as they kissed passionately until they were both left breathless. When they pulled back, his hand found its way under her shirt and his fingers danced along the small of her back.

"Sam…I want you," she whispered.

"You sure about this?"

Her teeth were pressing into her swollen bottom lip when she nodded. She framed his face with her hands and pulled his lips back to hers. When their lips were fused together again he slid one arm under her knees while the other wrapped around her back, and stood up, carrying her bridal style to his bedroom. Andy giggled into his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He placed her on his bed, kissing her cheek before he released her so he could climb onto the bed. He settled himself partially on top of her, one leg between hers, his weight resting on one arm and the side of his body touching the bed. His free hand ran up and down her side, from her chest to her thigh, as they stared at each other and tried to catch their breath.

He brought his face close to hers, nudging her nose with his before capturing her lips with his again. Her hands snuck underneath his shirt and slid up his back slowly. As his hand caressed down to her thigh he hitched up her leg, and she wrapped it around him, creating even more friction between them. The friction increasing the heat between them and causing their hearts to beat faster.

Finding the hem of his t-shirt, Andy tugged it upward, but it got stuck between their bodies. He pushed himself up, reluctantly removing his lips from hers, until she was able to pull the shirt over his head. When she rested her arms above her on the pillow, he took the hint and grabbed her shirt, pulling it over her head. It was no sooner tossed aside than she was pulling him back down to her and tugging until he let more of his weight press her into the mattress.

She couldn't get enough of him, but at the same time her senses were overloading. The moment his hand grazed her ribs on its upward path that ended with his fingers caressing her breast, her head was floating. It was just a little overwhelming was all; having wanted this since the day she laid eyes on him.

Her head sunk further into the pillow and she felt Sam's hand on her tense. "Hey…hey," he whispered. "You okay?" She gave a slight nod, not able to form words as she gulped in air. "We can stop." His hand rested on her side, just above her waist, his thumb rubbing back and forth to try and steady her.

"No. No. Just…give me a minute, okay? Just, like, this…" She closed her eyes, not really knowing where she expected that sentence to go.

"Give you all the time." The fingers of the hand that was helping prop him over her played with the tips of her hair.

Not wanting Sam to get the wrong idea, she ran a hand up his chest and around his neck. "I'm good. I'm good."

He smiled, but wasn't entirely convinced, so he placed a chaste kiss on her lips before kissing along her jaw. The sound she made when he hit a sensitive spot on her neck almost undid him.

When her head was able to catch up to what her body wanted – no, needed – she kissed his shoulder and along his collarbone as she took his hand from her side and moved it to the button of her jeans. He smiled into her neck and took the hint, sitting back on his knees to undress her.

Hours later, the moonlight casting shadows over the room, Andy half laid on Sam, her head propped on her hand as she stared down at him happily. "Do you think the universe has a plan for us?" she asked, the fingers of her free hand playing with the hair on his chest.

His eyebrows shot up at her question. "Oh yeah, it was undoubtedly fate that brought you into the garage that day," he teased. His fingers grazed her back, absentmindedly drawing shapes as his eyes were locked on her face.

"I'm serious. Of all the places for my car to break down, of all the car repair places I could've gone…I don't know…seems like fate," she said.

"Well, whatever it was, I'm happy it brought you to me."

Andy couldn't contain her grin and brought her smiling lips to his. "Smooth," she mumbled into his lips.

She laid her head on Sam's chest, but knew she wouldn't fall asleep. She'd always had issues sleeping in other people's beds and suddenly wished they'd been at her place because then she wouldn't be facing this problem. But instead, she'd wait and pretend to sleep for a while before gathering her clothes up in the dark and catching a cab home. But after a few minutes, Andy felt her eyelids getting heavy and much to her surprise she realized the beat of Sam's heart was lulling her to sleep. The next time they opened, sunlight was filtering through the window.

* * *

Several weeks – and many dates – later, Andy pulled up to the curb in front of Sam's townhouse and let out a deep breath. She was nervous to meet his friends, and she had to admit some of that was because of who they were, at least some of them anyway. She walked up to his door and knocked. When he opened the door, all the nervousness faded and a smile broke out across her face. "Hi."

He pulled her toward him, his hand on the small of her back and kissed her until she was breathless. "Hey," he said when they parted.

She could taste his favorite beer on his lips and licked her own as she stepped into his house and he closed the door behind her. "I brought chips and salsa," she said, holding up the bag she carried.

He took the snacks from her and led her into his living room where a large card table had been set up for the game. He quickly made introductions. Oliver and Frank worked at the garage with Sam, while Jerry was one of their great friends and also their lawyer. Frank's wife Noelle was there too, along with J.T. and his girlfriend Cassie.

Drinks and snacks were brought over to the table and the game got started. Andy played cautiously at first, trying to gauge her fellow players and get to know them as Sam's friends. Nearly everyone – except J.T., who seemed to be ignoring her – made her feel right at home. Despite Oliver only being a few years older than Sam, she immediately got this fatherly sense from him, and soon realized it was because he had three girls of his own. He let her in on inside jokes amongst the friends and helped keep her included in the conversation. Jerry was the cocky comedian of the group, but she loved it. He had her doubled over in hysterics when he shared some old stories about Sam.

Once a few rounds passed and she was more comfortable around everyone, she got serious and really started playing her game. These were some tough opponents, but she was holding her own. Sam was secretly proud, and a little in awe, of how good she was. He threw an arm over the back of her chair and began playing with the ends of her hair. He was so relaxed around her, he didn't even notice his friends giving each other looks over the small gesture that spoke volumes about how Sam felt about this woman.

After horribly losing three rounds in row, Sam decided it was time for a break. He pushed back his chair and stood up. "Who needs another drink?" he asked. With everyone raising a hand, he headed to the kitchen, and was quickly followed by Andy who grabbed the nearly empty chip and pretzel bowls.

Sam noticed her walk in and pointed to the pile of snacks on the counter. "Having fun?" he asked as he pulled some beers from the fridge.

"Yeah," she said smiling. "But, uh, I don't think J.T. likes me." She poured chips into one of the bowls she'd brought to the kitchen.

"What do you mean? Of course he does."

She threw the empty bag into the garbage and began filling the pretzel bowl before speaking again. She wanted to approach this carefully. "He's barely said two words to me, unless it's about the game," she said. And after a beat, "I want your friends to like me." And given what Sam had told her about how close he was with J.T. – they were as close to brothers as you could get without being blood – she especially wanted J.T. to like her.

He turned her until she was facing him and rested his hands on her hips. "They do." He pressed his lips to hers, but when he pulled back he saw the skepticism on her face. "I'll talk to him, okay?" She nodded and he kissed her forehead. "Now let's go back out there so I take the rest of your money," he teased.

"No, no, no. I'll be taking all of _your_ money." She picked up the bowls of chips and pretzels and started to walk out of the kitchen. She stopped and glanced back at Sam over her shoulder. "Thank you."

She had no sooner walked out then J.T. entered the kitchen. "What's up with you?" Sam demanded.

"What are you talking about?" J.T. questioned back.

"What's with you ignoring Andy tonight?"

"Look, man, I know you're infatuated with her right now and letting your guard down, but the moment she's pissed off at you for cancelling a date or forgetting to bring her flowers she's gonna go running to daddy and then we're screwed," J.T. said.

"It's not like that. _She's_ not like that." How could he explain to his friend that this wasn't just another girl? That he finally saw a future with someone.

"They're all like that."

"Just do me this solid, okay J.T.? Be nice to her. She means a lot to me. And, if you're right...I know you won't be, but if you are, I'll take the fall...completely," Sam replied.

"You're serious, aren't you Sammy? You'd fall on your sword for this girl?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I still don't like that her father's a cop, but...I'll try. Okay? If she makes you happy, I'll find a way to get along with her," J.T. conceded.

They grabbed another round of beers for everyone and headed back to the other room.

More than an hour later, Andy was feeling the effects of the alcohol and felt bold. She could tell by the look on Sam's face that he thought he was going to win this round and that would make his chip count significantly more than hers, which her competitive side couldn't allow to happen. Pretending to stare at her cards, she discreetly placed her hand on Sam's thigh and out of the corner of her eye she saw him smile at her. She waited until it was just about his turn again and slid her hand around to the inside of his thigh. She felt him twitch and he covered up his shock over where her hand was with a cough.

"Sammy, you gonna make a decision anytime this year?" Oliver teased, not realizing what was happening under the table.

Sam couldn't concentrate - unsure if he wanted Andy to remove her hand completely or move it up an inch so she could feel exactly what this was doing to him. He tossed his cards on the table. "I fold."

Andy smirked at him as she removed her hand and folded as well - she only had a measly pair of fives - leaving Oliver the winner. Even if she didn't win this hand, she still had more chips than Sam.

A couple of rounds later, nearly everyone decided to call it a night. Jerry was begging for a few more rounds so he could win back some of the money he lost, but Oliver just sat there chuckling since he'd taken the most cash from everyone. Andy simply grinned at Sam because she'd won the second most money and had beaten Sam by quite a bit.

"Told you," she whispered smugly as the others were gathering their coats.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her close and buried his face in her hair near her ear. "Just might need to make you pay for _how_ you took my money," he whispered, smiling suggestively when he pulled away.

Everyone said their goodbyes, and after the door was closed Sam and Andy turned around to survey the damage they needed to clean up. An hour later, dirty dishes and leftover food abandoned, Andy sat naked on the kitchen counter. Sam, also naked, stood between her legs. Her head thudded back on the cabinet. "Sam," she said between panted breaths. He rested his forehead against hers, their puffs of breath hitting each other's face rapidly. "Wow."

"What were you saying about cleaning up not being fun?" he asked, smirking.

"Shut up. Pretty sure we just made a bigger mess," she said, smiling. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips before pulling his face back just enough to make it easier to look at each other. "This make up for me beating you at poker?"

"You cheated," he replied, feigning annoyance.

"It wasn't my fault you're easily distracted," she said smirking.

He shook his head and let out a chuckle. This girl was going to be the death of him.

Their connected bodies were radiating heat, but the cool air around them caused Andy to shiver. Sam grabbed his t-shirt off the nearby chair it was hanging from and slid it over her head. He rubbed his hands up and down the outside of her thighs for a moment before pulling away and putting on his boxers, which had been lying near his feet. "How about we leave the mess for tomorrow and go to bed?"

Andy hopped off the counter and wrapped her arms around Sam's neck, her lips finding his before she responded. "Like that idea," she mumbled against his mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

Here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews – they really really make my day! So, please continue to let me know what you think. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Andy walked up to Alvarez Auto Body and headed directly to the office she knew Sam and J.T. shared. "Hey," she said, knocking on the open door.

A smile broke out across his face when he heard her voice. He looked up from the shipment manifest he'd been reviewing. "Hey yourself. To what do I owe this nice surprise?"

She walked over to him, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "Got out early. Thought I'd see what you were up to."

He pulled her down into his lap, stifling her giggle with another kiss. "I'm glad you did."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wiggled in his lap. "Think you can get out early?"

He steadied her hips with his hands as he stuck his tongue in his cheek trying to bite back a grin at what she was trying to do. "Think I can manage - "

He was interrupted by shouting from the entrance of the garage. "Alvarez! Get your ass out here, Bobby!"

They stood up and Sam was heading to the door when he heard the gunshot. It was only one, but it couldn't mean anything good. He turned around and pulled Andy toward the window. "You need to get out of here," he whispered. He opened the window, which provided easy access to the alley alongside the building. Knowing her car was out front and could be in the line of fire, he grabbed his keys off his desk and pressed them into her hand before wrapping her fingers closed around them. "My truck's on the side of the building. Go home. I'll stop by as soon as I can."

"Come with me," she pleaded.

"I can't. I've gotta take care of this." As the shouting continued in the garage, Sam helped her out the window. When he was sure she'd be safe, he grabbed a gun from his desk drawer, tucking it into the back of his jeans before walking out of the office.

* * *

Andy was pacing the floor of her apartment when a knock at the door caused her to jump. After looking through the peephole, she threw open the door and flung her arms around Sam, burying her face in his neck. "God, I was so worried!"

He wrapped his arms around her as he walked them into her apartment and shut the door with his foot. "Hey, hey, I'm fine," he said, rubbing a hand up and down her back.

She released the grasp she had on him, but took his hand in hers and led them to the couch. She sat facing him, her knees pulled up to her chest. "What happened?"

"Disagreement about how Bobby does business," he replied, but quickly realized by the look on her face that wasn't enough. "There's this guy, Robert DaSilva, he's basically a pimp...Bobby refuses to help him traffic children along with his other products. There are some lines Bobby won't cross. Hell, he has a little girl of his own."

"And DaSilva wasn't happy with that."

Sam shook his head. "He didn't want to take no for an answer."

"What happened?"

"He let off some steam, shot off a few rounds to get our attention, argued with J.T. and me, and finally left. I had to convince the cops that neighbors heard a car backfiring and not gunshots though." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and as his hand lingered near her face, she leaned into his touch. "I'm sorry you were there. You shouldn't be around this shit. Maybe this...We knew this was trouble when it started."

"Is that what you really think?" His silence gave her his answer and she wrapped her hand around the one he held against her cheek. "I don't care about all that. I mean, yes, it scares me that you could get hurt, but I want this, us."

He framed her face with his hands and pressed his lips to hers. "I want this too. But I want _you_ safe. Maybe you shouldn't stop by the garage anymore."

She nodded in agreement. If that would keep his mind at ease, she was okay staying away. She laid her hand against his cheek. "But I'm not staying away from _you._"

He pulled her against his chest, stroking her hair, and felt her heart beating against his body. He'd fallen so hard for this girl, he didn't know what he'd do if she was taken from him. He felt a little ridiculous honestly, having never felt this way about someone before, but he already knew he'd be a happy man if he could spend the rest of his life with her.

"We're probably being incredibly stupid," he said, giving her one last out, because after this there was no going back for him. He was all in.

"Mmmhmm," she said, nodding her head into his neck. "Cop's daughter, suspected criminal." She let out a chuckle. This was so horribly wrong, but it felt so completely right. Her eyes popped open when she thought that maybe he didn't feel the same way and was looking for a way to let her down easy. "But, I mean, I get it...if you, um, don't want to date a cop's daughter."

She started to pull away, but his arms that were wrapped around her kept her tight against his body. "Hey, that's not what I meant." When she stopped fidgeting, he continued. "Andy, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

A huge smile gradually formed on her face as she looked him in the eyes. "We're different, but we'll deal with it," she said before pressing her lips to his. They sat silently for a while, content with simply holding each other. Finally, Andy spoke again. "You hungry? I could make us some dinner."

"I can always eat," he replied with a smile.

She playfully shook her head as she got up. "I know." She laughed her way into the kitchen and began boiling water for pasta.

Sam came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you were worried today."

She poured a box of ziti into the water before closing her eyes. "I kept hearing the gunshot in my head all the way home." It scared her more than she thought it would. She knew he dealt with dangerous people more often than she'd like to think about, but witnessing it firsthand was different. It made her realize how much she cared about Sam and how terrified she was of losing him. She opened her eyes and turned around in his arms, wrapping hers around his back. "I kept imaging the worst, that you'd gotten shot."

"I'm sorry. And I wish I could say it'll never happen again, but I can't. In fact, it's likely not the last time I'll be face to face with someone with a gun," he admitted.

She placed a hand on his cheek and sighed. "I know."

"But I'll do everything I can to come out safe, to come back to you." He tucked her hair behind her ear before drawing her face closer to his with a hand on the back of her head. He nudged her nose with his lovingly, their eyelashes brushing against each other, before tenderly pressing his lips against hers. They stood there, lips remaining attached in a sweet embrace as their hands gripped each other tight, never wanting to let go. They were broken out of the moment when they heard water boil over onto the stove.

"Oops," she said, turning around to lower the heat and stir the pasta.

"Can't let you in the kitchen," he quipped, playfully swatting her butt.

"Watch it," she said turning back to him with a smile. "Or you'll be the only one in the kitchen from now on."

* * *

Andy walked into 15 Division on her way to meet her dad for lunch. She was waved right in, and headed straight for her dad's office, but stopped suddenly just outside the door when she heard the name Alvarez.

"Tomorrow. We bust 'em before they can move the product," she heard Tommy say. "Alright, talk to you then brother." Tommy was excited for this bust, not only because it would finally get Bobby Alvarez off the streets, but he'd be putting away Sam Swarek and removing him from his daughter's life. He knew she'd probably be mad at him, but this was his job and she'd get over it in time. Maybe he'd make sure Luke was around to comfort her, take her mind off of Sam.

She knocked loudly on the door frame and watched her father hang up his phone as she walked in. "Hey, dad."

"Hey kiddo, did you just get here?" he asked, a large smile taking over his face at the sight of his daughter.

"Yeah, Jenson waved me through, told me you were in here," she said, pulling at a thread in her jacket.

"Oh, good, good. Let me just grab my coat and we'll be off to that lunch I promised you," he said.

Andy thought about what she'd overheard as she watched her dad pull his jacket off the back of his chair. She was distracted through lunch, but tried not to show it. She tried to keep the war raging between her head and her heart at bay until she was away from her father.

With the exception of a short rebellious stage as a teenager, Andy had been the perfect cop's daughter. She followed the rules, she obeyed the law. Even considered becoming a police officer at one point, but decided against it because she didn't want the pressure of following in her father's footsteps. But here she was, her heart fully taken by a man who was considered by police to be a criminal. And now, completely worried about Sam and what could happen to him during the bust, she was considering tipping him off to protect him.

* * *

That night, Sam & Andy were lying in bed; her head was nestled in the crook of his neck as he lazily drew patterns on her bare back. They'd had a great evening, going out to dinner and to see a new action movie before returning to her apartment, but Sam knew something was bothering her. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"Nothing."

"Andy, I know when something's bothering you. Spill," he said.

"If I asked you to do something, asked you to trust me and do something without question and without telling another sole, would you?" She was sure she was violating some law, not to mention her father's trust if he ever found, but she had to protect Sam.

"Andy, what's going on?" His hand on her back stilled as he was left confused by her request.

She lifted her head so she could look directly at him. "I'm serious, Sam. Would you trust me enough to do that?"

He took in how serious she was and noticed something else in her expression - fear, maybe. "Of course," he said nodding.

She took a deep breath, letting her thumb rub over his jaw as she thought about how to say what she wanted. "Stay away from the garage tomorrow. Call in sick or tell 'em you have to help a friend; do whatever, but just stay away."

"What - "

"No, no questions. Just promise me...please."

Now, not only could he see the fear in her eyes, he could feel it radiating from her tense body. He didn't know what brought this on, but he'd do whatever necessary to soothe her mind. "Yeah, yeah. I won't go in tomorrow."

Andy let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and laid her head on his shoulder. "Okay, good, okay."

He felt her body relax against him and grazed his fingers up and down her back as he wondered what brought about her sudden fear.

* * *

The next morning, Sam called J.T., told him he wasn't feeling great, food poisoning or something. J.T. knew his friend never took a day off, so he encouraged him to take a long weekend. During the short conversation, Sam was reminded of the shipment they were moving that day, but J.T. assured him it was under control and he could handle it.

Sam felt guilty, but it wasn't until hours later things starting clicking into place. It was too late though when he saw their lawyer's name pop up on his phone. "Jerry?"

"Sammy, we've got a problem. Bobby, J.T., Oliver, about 15 other guys, they've all been arrested. Looks like the cops knew about the shipment happening today," he said.

"Shit. How'd it happen?" Sam asked, running a hand over his face. He should've been there with them. If it hadn't been for Andy, he _would_ have been there.

"Don't have all the details. I'm on the way to the police station now. I just thought you should know," Jerry replied. "And buddy, probably best to keep a low profile for now."

Sam hung up and resisted the urge to punch a hand through a wall. Andy knew and she let his friends, _his family_, walk right into it. He quickly hit a speed dial on his phone, waiting only two rings before the person answered.

Andy was sitting at her desk eating a late lunch when Sam's name came up on her caller ID. "Hey," she said, smiling as she answered.

Sam didn't bother with pleasantries, wanting to get to the point of his call. "Did you know?"

For a moment, Andy had no idea what he was talking about, and then it dawned on her. "Sam..."

"You knew, didn't you? That's why you told me to stay away." His voice was unforgiving and the smile was wiped off her face.

"I had to. I didn't want you to get hurt...or arrested," she replied quietly.

"But it's fine for my friends, my family, to go to jail?" He didn't bother waiting for a response before continuing. "This...this isn't gonna work. I can't do this anymore."

"Sam, please, you gotta understand. I wanted - " She didn't get the rest of the sentence out when she heard the click of Sam hanging up. Her eyes filled with tears and as much as she refused to let them fall, they soon escaped and rolled down her cheeks.

She didn't try to talk to him or see him that night, hoping time and space would help him understand why she did what she did. The following night, however, she stood outside his door knocking. When she first walked up to his townhouse, she thought she'd heard someone inside, but as she knocked...and knocked…and knocked, all the response she got was silence.

Inside, Sam sat with J.T., who Jerry had gotten released on a technicality – something about the rookie cop who arrested him not reading the Miranda rights correctly.

"You gonna answer that?" J.T. asked.

Sam looked toward the door - he knew it was _her_, recognized her knock - and back at J.T. "Nope." He took a swig of the scotch he was holding in his hand. "So, you were saying Jerry thinks he can get Bobby out too?"

He listened with one ear to J.T. while the other was glued to the sounds coming from his door. It pained him when the knocking stopped, knowing that she'd given up. He had to remind himself that _he_ made the choice. There was no room for her in his life. They were too different.

Two days later, with still no word from Sam, Andy called him, frowning when it went to voicemail again. "Sam, it's me. Look, you have to understand. I shouldn't have said _anything_ to you, but I...I care about you too much. I didn't want to see you in trouble or hurt or...or even worse, dead. I know how these busts can end. I'm sorry about your friends, but I'm not sorry about helping you. Call me, ok? I miss you."

* * *

Two months passed without a single word from Sam. After several days Andy gave up constantly checking her phone for missed calls and voicemails. She'd drive by Alvarez Auto Body occasionally on her way home from work, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sam, but it seemed the universe had other plans. She wasn't sorry about what she did, but she wished he'd been willing to talk to her and let her explain.

About a month and a half after Sam disappeared from her life, Andy allowed herself to be talked into going on a date with Luke Callaghan, who was now a detective working with her father. She agreed to it to appease her dad, but after two dates, there was just no spark and she declined when he asked her out a third time. Instead, she spent the following Friday night curled up on her couch wearing a black t-shirt Sam had left at her place months before. She hadn't washed it so it still smelled of him and she wore it when she was missing him…which was a lot.

On the other side of the city, Sam was at home, recovering from a minor stab wound to his stomach, inflicted when a deal went bad. He'd been distracted, thought he smelled the lotion Andy wore just before he walked into the warehouse for the deal, and then couldn't get her out of his head.

Sarah had driven up from St. Catharines that morning to bring him home from the hospital and she was now taking over his kitchen to make them dinner.

Sarah made small talk with Sam while she cooked, but he knew her better than anyone and she was dying to ask him about something, he just didn't know what. Halfway through dinner, he couldn't take it anymore. "Just say it, Sarah. Whatever you've had bottled up, just say it."

She put down her fork and sighed as she looked across the table at her brother. "What happened to Andy?" She couldn't figure out why he neglected to tell her they'd broken up until he called from the hospital the day before. And then, he only told her when she asked why Andy wasn't with him or bringing him home.

"Sare, I told you, it's over. Just didn't work out," he replied, sighing as he looked down at his plate.

"But why? What happened, Sammy?" she asked, not letting him drop the subject again. "I've never seen you as happy as you were when she was in your life."

He dropped the fork on his plate in frustration. "We're too different, okay. Our lives, they never should have crossed."

She gave him a pointed look and glanced down at his stab wound. "Maybe it's time for a change," she suggested, risking a confrontation with her brother. They'd fought about this many times. As much as she appreciated how Bobby and J.T. had helped her brother, she hated the life he'd been brought into. She blamed herself at times, knowing his first step into the life had been to help her.

"We've talked about this," he warned.

"Look, just listen to me for a minute," she said, raising her hand to silence him. "You love working on cars. You've _never_ loved the other stuff. You know that. I know that. You can still do what you love elsewhere."

"I don't know if I can turn my back on them. Leave after everything they've done for me." He felt he owed Bobby and J.T. his life and his sister's life. That was why he stayed; that and because they were his family now too.

"Little brother, I just want you happy. You've given enough of yourself to them. Maybe it's time to do something _for you_. I want what's best for you and sometimes the best thing is the thing you had," she said, pushing back her chair and bringing her plate to the sink. She began cleaning up the pots and pans as she let her words sink into Sam's head.

He sat back in his chair and rubbed a hand over his face. He loved working on cars, but hadn't found the same joy in it once he pushed Andy away. It was like his life was lacking without her in it. Maybe his sister was right, about everything.

* * *

_A/N: I'm traveling over the next several days, but I'm going to try REALLY hard to get the next (and last) chapter out this weekend!_


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry the last chapter was so heartbreaking! But it's part of the Sam and Andy journey they have to go through. :) Here is the final chapter. I know people have requested I keep going with the story, but I think, as you'll see in this chapter, I really wrap things up. As always, let me know what you think. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

A week after Sarah's pep talk, Sam and J.T. were having lunch in their office when Sam decided it was time to tell his friend what he'd been thinking about. "You know I've always appreciated what you and Bobby have done for me, right?"

"Of course, you're family. You don't even need to say anything, brother," J.T. replied before taking another bite of his sub.

"Yeah, well, uh, I've been doing some thinking recently." Sam scratched the back of his head as he figured out what to say. "I, uh…I think it's time for me to get out."

J.T. put down his lunch and stared at his friend. "What are you talking about, Sammy?"

"I wanna go clean. There's an old shop I pass by on my way here every morning and I'm thinking of buying it." Sam took a swig of his soda and waited for his friend's response.

"If you're looking for my approval, you got it buddy. I knew someday something, or _someone_, better would come along," he said. "What does Andy think of all this? She must be happy."

"She doesn't…I…We…" Sam stammered.

"I know you've never told me what happened between you two, but I knew you'd find your way back to her. That poker night, where you called me out…It was then I knew she was it for you. I'm happy for you, brother," he said, before returning to his lunch.

"I, uh…" Sam didn't know how to respond to that. He'd thought the same thing back then, but then he'd been stupid and now he didn't know if Andy was even an option for him anymore. But, he was going to do everything he could to try.

Over the next couple of weeks, Sam met with a real estate agent and secured financing for the abandoned garage he wanted to buy. He already had the name all picked out, Universe Auto Body. He hoped Andy would get the name, a reminder to when she asked him if the universe had a plan for them. He hoped it did and that it would help Andy forgive him.

He buried himself in plans for the new business, both the work he'd need to put into it to fix it up and how he could get customers once he opened. J.T. had actually promised to send some business his way, supportive of what Sam was doing, but he didn't want to rely on that to survive.

He knew the next step in moving forward with his new life was talking to Andy, but he was scared. He was filled with fear that she wouldn't forgive him and he wasn't sure he could handle that. So, he put it off and put it off until finally one night, his truck seemed to drive itself to her street.

He took a deep breath and rapped his knuckles on her door. He heard someone approach the door, but there was a long pause before the click of the lock broke the silence. She opened the door and stared at him, not believing after all this time he was standing in front of her.

"Peace offering," he said, holding up a pizza box that contained her favorite from the take-out place down the street.

"What do you want?" she demanded, not moving an inch.

"To talk." He took a small step forward, but she remained as still as a statue.

"Now you want to talk? It's been almost three months and suddenly you want to talk?"

"Please, Andy. I was stupid. I'm sorry." He could tell she was considering it. The gears fast at work in her head as she debated what to do.

She looked at the box he held and back up to his face. She had missed him horribly, but he had ignored her completely, disappeared from her life after he hung up on her when she tried to explain. She wasn't sure she could let him back into her broken heart. "I already ate."

"Okay, don't eat, just listen," he pleaded.

She pushed out a frustrated breath, but stepped back and opened the door wider to let him in. He quickly took the invitation and walked over to the couch, setting the pizza box on the table as he sat down. She took the long way around the couch, sitting at the far end, and waited.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. You were trying to help me. It just took me a while to understand that," he said. Turning to face her, he laid an arm across the back of the couch trying to bridge the gap between them.

"You just left. Disappeared. It hurt," she admitted.

"I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn't know how..." He scrubbed a hand over his face as he tried to form the words. "I couldn't accept that because of our differences, you brought out the best in me. I never meant to hurt you. I was…it was overwhelming."

"Why are you here now? What's changed in three months?" She pulled her knees up to her chest as she stared straight ahead at Sam.

"I've had a lot of time to think. And I need you in my life," he admitted. "And I've gotten out of _the life_."

Andy's eyes went wide. "You what?"

"I'm buying my own garage. Totally clean. Just me working on cars," he replied.

She stretched her arm across the back of the couch and let her fingers touch his. "Do you mean it?"

"Yeah, put the offer in yesterday."

"No. About the other thing," she said, brushing her fingers across his.

Sam furrowed his eyebrows as he thought back on what he said and then it dawned on him. He grinned, dimples on full display, before he spoke. "Yes. Andy, I've been missing a big part of me without you in my life."

She crawled across the couch, sitting back on her knees as her arms went around his neck and she smiled back at him. "I've missed you."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and let out a relieved sigh. "You have me now." He leaned in slowly as they continued to stare at each other and brought his lips to hers. It was gentle and slow, but full of passion.

When they broke apart, Andy smiled at him. "Promise me something. Fight for us, be willing to listen if we have a misunderstanding. Don't just walk out again."

"Promise." He pressed his lips to hers briefly. "I'm never going to let you go again."

Their eyes remain connected for several moments, as if sealing the promise.

When the smell of the pizza became too much, Andy reached over to the coffee table, nearly falling off the couch if it hadn't been for Sam's arm wrapped around her waist. When she flopped back into the couch, she took a bite of the pizza now in her hand. "Not hungry, huh?" he asked, smirking.

"Starving, never had dinner," she said, a goofy grin on her face. She held the piece of pizza to his lips and he took a bite. "Couldn't give you the satisfaction of knowing I wanted to grab it from your hands the moment I opened the door."

Sam shook his head and tucked her into his side, watching her finish off the slice of pizza.

* * *

Four months later, Andy was rummaging through a drawer in Sam's dresser that she'd been keeping some clothes in. He woke up hearing her curse under her breath.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up.

"We forgot to stop at my place last night and I don't have anything to wear for this big meeting at work. And I overslept, so there's no time to go home, and...ugh! This is ridiculous," she said, nearly yelling at herself as she threw a pair of socks back in the drawer.

"You left your blazer here last week. You could - "

"Yeah, I thought about that," she interrupted, as she turned to face him. "But I don't have any clean tops here to go with it."

"If you let me finish, I was going to say, you could wear one of my dark blue shirts under it and no one would know," he explained, calmly. He knew she'd been nervous about an important meeting at the community center, so he wasn't going to take her attitude personally this morning.

"Oh...Oh, yeah," she said, thinking about his idea. "That would...yeah, that would work." She placed her hands on the bed and leaned over so she could kiss Sam. "I knew I kept you around for a reason." She smiled at him as she headed to the bathroom.

Sam sat there for a moment, his eyes glancing over to where Andy's watch and necklace laid on his dresser, where her cell phone sat on the night table, and where the basket of dirty laundry in the corner contained her clothes mixed in with his. He thought about the orange juice he kept in his fridge for her - he'd always preferred grapefruit - and the container of chocolate ice cream sitting next to his pistachio in the freezer.

Hearing the water of the shower turn on, Sam got out of bed and padded into the bathroom. Andy heard him enter and wasn't surprised when he joined her under the stream of water. He took the bottle of shampoo from her, squirting some in his hand before massaging it into her hair. When he was done, he pushed her hair aside, so he could kiss her shoulder. "Move in with me," he said softly.

She turned around, raising her eyebrows in question, trying to figure out if he was serious.

"Look, we spend most nights here, and when we aren't here we're at your place," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love it when you're here and I think you like being here." She nodded in agreement as her lips began to curve upward. "And if you moved in with me, you wouldn't have to leave early to stop by your apartment or make sure you had enough clean clothes stashed here. You'd be here, all of you."

She grinned up at him like a cheshire cat. "Really? You're serious?"

"Never been more."

She nodded her head animatedly. "Yes, Sam. I'd love to move in with you." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he hugged her tighter.

Three weeks later, Andy was unpacking her clothes while Sam unloaded more boxes from his truck. When she walked back into the living room, she saw him walking through the front door with another box.

"For a studio apartment, I have a lot of crap," Andy said.

"Says the one watching me carry everything," Sam quipped.

"I'll make it up to you," she replied, smiling. "Is that it?"

"Yeah, the last box," he responded, placing it next to the others in the living room.

Andy walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. "Thank you. Now, relax," she said pushing him toward the couch. "I'll be right back."

Several minutes later Andy snuck from the bedroom to the kitchen without Sam noticing; he was lying on the couch and glued to some hockey game on TV. When she walked back into the living room, Sam looked up and his eyes went wide. Andy stood in front of him, clad only in one of his t-shirts and holding a can of whipped cream. She gave him a seductive smile as she straddled him and Sam caught on quickly that she was wearing _nothing_ under his shirt. He knew his pulse was racing and swallowed thickly to try and steady himself. "Hey," he said, his voice shaky.

She rested the can she held on the couch so she could grab the hem of his shirt and pull it over his head slowly. "Thought you deserved a proper thank you." She followed the hem of the shirt with kisses from his waist up to his neck. Once the shirt was tossed aside, she brought her lips to his as his hands found their way under her shirt and roamed her back.

She pulled back only when the need for air became too great and sat back so she could wiggle her butt over him to find him already hard. She shook the whipped cream and squirted a line of it down the center of his chest. "Always loved whip cream," she said, looking up at him from under her long eyelashes as she leaned down toward the end of the white trail she created. She licked her way up his chest and Sam couldn't do anything but watch as her tongue cleaned the topping clear off of him.

"Andy…" Her name came out as a sigh and he didn't even know what he wanted. He wanted to keep watching her; he wanted to get her underneath him and sink himself into her; he wanted to get his mouth all over her. Her eyes locked on his and he got lost in them.

"Shh, just let me," she whispered, before drawing shapes on his chest and abdomen with the whipped cream. As she continued to take her time licking him clean, Sam wasn't sure if he could handle much more. He was sure she could feel him throbbing even through the denim of his jeans.

When Andy decided she was done, she placed the nearly empty can on the coffee table before removing the shirt she wore. Inching down his legs, her hands got to work on his belt. "Tell me what you want, Sam."

Later, when Andy was sprawled on top of Sam, the blanket from the back of the couch haphazardly covering them, she rested her head on his chest. "That make up for having to carry all my crap?" she asked. Sam could feel the corner of her lips curve into a smile against his skin.

"Several times over," he replied, which caused Andy to blush. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her earlier, but she just wanted to show him how much she appreciated him. Not just today while they moved her stuff into his – no, their – house, but always.

"I'm really glad I'm here," she said, lifting her head so she could look at him. When their eyes met, he knew she meant more than this moment, more than this night.

"Me too." He cupped the back of her head, bringing her close so he could bring their lips together.

* * *

A month after moving in together, Sam and Andy were cleaning up from dinner when there was a knock at the door. When he opened it, he immediately knew their night was not going to end happily. Two police officers stood in front of him and he could see several more on the sidewalk.

"Sam Swarek?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

"Sir, we have a warrant to search the premises." The officers pushed passed him handing over the folded document.

Andy walked toward the door. "What's going on?" The officers walked by her without more than a cursory glance. "Sam?"

"They have a warrant," he replied, looking at the document in his hands. He skimmed it as Andy looked over his shoulder. The both saw the words 'gun' and 'blood soaked clothing.'

They were still absorbing what was going on when Andy saw a familiar guy with a badge hanging from his neck walk in the house. She recognized him as a detective she'd seen a few times with her dad before he retired four months earlier.

"Samuel Swarek, you are under arrest for the murder of Alvin Savage," Donovan Boyd said as he took Sam's hands and cuffed him behind his back. Andy watched helpless as Sam was read his rights and patted down.

"Murder? You think he killed someone?" she squeaked out the questions, not believing what was happening.

"Andy, it's fine. I'll straighten this out," he said, as he was guided toward the door.

"Don't say _anything,_ Sam. I'll...I'll get my dad…or someone. I'll get help," she called out to him as he was lead toward a police cruiser parked at the curb. He glanced over his shoulder briefly, face stoic as he wished Andy didn't have to see this.

She watched the cruiser drive away before running back into the house to grab her keys. On the way to the station, she dialed Jerry's number, knowing he was still Sam's lawyer. The third time it went to voicemail, she left a message, pleading for him to call her back and come down to the station to help Sam.

When she arrived at the station, she didn't know what to do. With her dad being retired, she wasn't as familiar with who worked at 15 Division anymore. She took her chances and asked for the one person she knew would probably be working. Approaching the front desk, she smiled at the officer. "I'd like to see Detective Callaghan. Tell him it's Andy McNally."

After a brief conversation on the phone, the officer buzzed Andy through and directed her over to the detective's office, not realizing she was very familiar with where it was.

"Luke..."

"Andy, to what do I owe this nice surprise?" he asked, standing up and walking around his desk.

"Look, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but I need help," she said, her eyes pleading more than her voice at the moment.

He walked over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "Hey, hey now. What's going on?"

"A guy was just brought in. He's a friend of mine and I think he's being setup. There's no way he did what they're saying. I just know there - " The words tumbled out of her mouth fast, and Luke interrupted her to try and calm her down.

"Whoa, slow down okay. Walk me through what happened and who your friend is."

"It's Sam. Sam Swarek. Cops showed up at our door tonight with a search warrant, and before they even finished he was being hauled down here," she explained.

He took a step back at her use of the word 'our.' He knew they'd only gone on a couple dates, but he hoped she'd get over whoever she was pining for and they'd have another chance. "Swarek? Name sounds familiar. Wait, Sam Swarek who's in with Bobby Alvarez?"

"Was. _Was_ in with him. He's clean now. Got out of that life for...We have a new life. I know he wouldn't do what they're saying," she said.

"This guy's bad news. You should stay away from him, Andy," Luke told her.

"No! He's not. If anyone knew his story, they'd realize he's not. And I'm sick of people telling me to stay away. I love him and he's a good guy. I need your help, Luke. Please," she begged. It took her a moment to realize she'd never told anyone, not even Sam, that she loved him, but it was true. She knew from the bottom of her heart she loved Sam and now she needed him to get through this so she could tell him. He was it for her. Any future she imagined included him.

Luke walked over to the desk of a fellow detective, searching it for a moment before picking up a file. He flipped through it, skimming the details. "Well, they suspect him of murdering Alvin Savage a month ago after a disagreement about how Alvarez does business."

"He's not even part of that business anymore," Andy interrupted.

"You sure about that?" he asked, eyebrows raised as he glanced at her. "Says here he was still doing the dirty work for the operation, that they have surveillance."

"I know he didn't do it. He couldn't have."

Luke didn't know Andy all that well, aside from the short time they dated, but he knew her father well, having trained under Tommy. Between that, and the honest and fearful expressions crossing over her face, he was willing to take her protests over Sam's guilt more seriously than if someone else was standing in front of him right now.

He started taking a closer look at the file in his hands and began to see a lot of reports from the detectives in charge – Donovan Boyd and Steve Peck – but not a lot of evidence backing up the statements written. There were lots of mentions of surveillance, but no photos to back it up. It raised a few flags for him. "Surprised they could get a warrant based on the evidence they have. There's not much here," he said, closing the file and looking up at her. He was going to go straight to the source and see what was going on. "Wait here."

He found his fellow detectives watching over Sam through the window in an observation room. "What's going on with this guy?" he asked.

"Won't talk," Boyd replied. "But we got this covered Callaghan." Boyd glared at him, a clear indication he wasn't welcome.

"Doesn't seem like you've got much here, actually," he said, waving the file he held in front of him. "Kind of seems like you're trying to set him up to be the fall guy. I know headquarters has been on you to get closure on some of the east end gang cases, but this isn't the way to do it."

"You don't know what you're talking about Callaghan," Steve Peck said.

"Stay out of it," Boyd warned. "He's got a new life now that I'm sure he wants to protect. We'll give him some time to think it over and if we're lucky, we'll get him to turn on the rest of the crew. If not, we get him for killing Savage. He's done enough over time that this is simple justice."

"That's bull and you know it. And if I can figure this out after a quick glance through the file, his lawyer will make mincemeat of your accusations." Luke and Boyd stared each other down, before Boyd broke eye contact first and turned back to the window.

"Get out Callaghan. I'm the senior detective here and I'm telling you to go home, before I send you home for good." Boyd crossed his arms and waited for the other detective to leave.

Without another word, Luke turned on his heel and walked out, slamming the door behind him. He couldn't believe the pompous ass had the nerve to threaten his career. He might be the younger detective by a slim margin, but he had more accolades from the white shirts, many who already knew Boyd pushed the limits. And after their little talk, Luke was convinced Boyd was setting Sam up. He might not know Sam, other than he's someone Andy cares about, but he wasn't going to let an innocent man get set up by a fellow detective trying to get a promotion. If Sam went to jail, it should be for the crimes he did commit.

Luke stopped in his office on the way to see his sergeant. "Andy, sit tight. It's going to take a little while, but I'm fixing this. Sam's gonna be fine."

Andy's eyes went wide before she blinked away the tears that formed. "Luke…this…I…thank you. This means everything. Thank you."

He nodded and gave her a small smile before walking away.

Nearly an hour later, as Boyd and Peck were being reprimanded in the sergeant's office while they waited for Internal Affairs to arrive, Luke headed to the interrogation room with a bottle of water.

Luke sat down across from Sam and placed the water in front of him. "Look, I'm gonna help you, but - "

"I told them I wasn't saying anything until my lawyer got here," he interrupted, fingers linked together in front of him and the metal handcuffs tapping lightly on the table. Luke briefly wondered when Sam had lawyered up and doubted his colleagues had ever made the call.

"Andy asked for my help," he replied, knowing that would be the only thing to get Sam to listen.

Sam's eyes got wide. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's fine. And you don't need a lawyer anymore. I have some paperwork to take care of, but you're not being charged. Let's call it a...misunderstanding, okay?" He reached across the table and removed the handcuffs from Sam's wrists. He stood up and headed to the door. "I'll be back when you can get out of here."

Only a few minutes passed before the door opened again, but this time Sam watched Andy walk into the room and slide into the chair across from him. She reached out to hold his hands in hers. "Hey," she said softly. "Detective Callaghan said you'd be released soon."

"You didn't need to come down here," he said, hating that she had to see him like this.

"Sam," she said his name as if she were scolding a child. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

He gave an almost imperceptible shrug, before offering a small smile. "Thanks for whatever you did to get me out of here."

"Luke's an old..." She remembered the conversation they had all those months ago about not having secrets. "We went out a couple times while you were gone. He worked with my dad and I knew I could trust him to find the truth. "

"I didn't do what they said."

"I know. I know. You were being set up. I never thought you did. _Never_," she said, giving his hands a squeeze.

"You should go home," he said, wanting to get her away from this mess. It's true he didn't kill Alvin Savage, but he'd always be a guy suspected of crimes, a guy they'd try to pin stuff on. Even if he got out of the life, the life would always be part of him.

"I'm not leaving until you do," she told him adamantly.

"This probably won't be the last time I get dragged down here. Whether someone's setting me up or not, that life will always be part of me, even if I'm not active in it." He was worried this might be too much for her. He couldn't imagine a life without her, but he didn't want her saddled down with his problems.

"I'm not leaving you. Ever. I love you," she blurted out. She worried her bottom lip the moment she realized what words came out of her mouth. She'd spent the last hour trying to figure out the best way to tell him how she felt so it didn't come out at a horrible time. And well, that worked really well, she thought laughing at herself. "Well, I said it. It's out there. Now I can stop worrying about it coming out of my mouth at a really weird time. Of course, the middle of a police station isn't really like a non-awkward place, but - "

"Andy...Andy...Will you shut up for a second so I can tell you...I love you too." He brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed her fingers gently. He couldn't imagine his life without her in it. It might not always be smooth sailing, but if she was willing to stick by him, he would love here with his whole being.

They sat there silently staring at each other until Luke returned to tell them Sam was free to go.

* * *

Andy and Sam were getting ready for bed a few nights later when she decided to bring up something, unsure how he'd react. She put her toothbrush away and hopped up on the counter next to the sink where Sam was brushing his teeth.

"My dad wants us to come over for dinner next week," she said, picking at the hem of the pajama shorts she wore.

His eyes went wide as he spit into the sink. "Both of us?" He knew what her dad thought of him and while they'd seen each other briefly here or there, Andy had pretty much kept them separated all this time.

"He realizes how much I love you and that you're part of my life. I think he's trying to have an open mind and this is his peace offering," she told him, finally letting her eyes meet his.

He put his toothbrush away and moved to stand in between her legs, his hands brushing up her thighs and resting just above her hips. "Just let me know when."

Her lips curved into a smile as she brought her hands up to rest on his shoulders. "Thank you for trying with him. I know it's not easy, given who he is, or was, and how he felt about us when we met."

"Look, Andy, I love you and I know how much your dad means to you. I'll do everything I can to make it work with him. But I can't change my past. He's gonna have to realize that's what it is, my past."

"I love you too. And I don't need his approval, but I do hope one day you guys will be able to get along. Thank you for trying." She brought her lips to his and they shared a passionate kiss that left them breathless. Andy slid one arm around his waist to pull him closer while her other hand traced the muscles in his chest. His hands made their way under her tank top, grazing the skin across her back.

When she pulled back, she was smiling at him. "Mmm. Minty."

He took a step back and tugged her arm until she jumped off the counter, intentionally thudding into his chest. "Hi," she said, giggling as she looked up at him.

He couldn't help but shake his head and smile. "Knew that second cup of coffee after dinner was a bad idea."

He nudged her into the bedroom and she reluctantly got into bed, snuggling under the covers. Sam shut the lights off and joined her. They rolled onto their sides so they were facing each other, their bodies nearly touching.

"Can we get a dog?" she asked, quickly sinking her teeth into her bottom lip in nervousness.

"A dog?" It's not that he didn't like dogs, he was just a bit surprised at her request.

"Yeah, like a labradoodle or a mutt from the pound, something cute." She knew moving in with Sam was a big step in proving they wanted to share a future with each other, but she wanted something else to help show how permanent they were. They hadn't talked marriage – god, it was too early for that. Same for kids. So, the next logical step seemed to be getting a dog.

He saw the wheels turning in her head and could read her mind. "Something we can name Boo?" She quirked an eyebrow, so he continued. "I've always like the name Boo Radley for a dog."

"Boo…Boo Radley…I like it," she said smiling.

"This weekend. We'll stop by the pound and find ourselves a dog." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "Now, go to sleep."

She grabbed onto his hand that was under the pillow and laced their fingers together. "Goodnight, Sam."

"Night, Andy."

* * *

The End


End file.
